Improved team folder

Team folders automatically give functional groups the correct access level (view or edit) to the content they need. In sub-folders of team folders individual team members and people outside the team can collaborate along with team members in groups. This article describes how to create team folders and set up a team folder structure.

Note: Team folders are owned and managed by Dropbox Business team admins.

To recognize a team folder, reference the folder icon:

Team folder on dropbox.com and Mac computers

Team folder on Windows computers

Create a team folder

You can create a team folder from the team folder manager, or follow these steps:

1. Sign in to dropbox.com with your team admin account.
2. Enter your Admin Console.
3. Click Team folders.
4. Click Create team folder.

We recommend setting up team folders based on functions, such as "Marketing," or naming them after projects.

Granular access and sharing controls

When you create a team folder, you are prompted to invite groups to the top-level team folder. For any sub-folders, you can explicitly add individual team members or external collaborators.

When setting up your team folder structure, consider the following:

• Membership is inherited: subfolders will inherit the groups and individual members of the folders above them.
• Access permissions are additive: Say that an individual is added to a first layer sub-folder with view-only permissions. In the second layer of sub-folders you can change that individual's settings to be able to edit.
• If you're the owner of an existing shared folder, you can move it into a team folder. Once you move it into a team folder, it is owned by the team admin.
• When people who aren't members of your team are added to a shared subfolder, the folder appears like a normal shared folder in their account. These people can move and rename the shared folder, and the changes will only appear in their account.
• It is not possible to share a Dropbox link to a team folder.

Example of team folder and shared sub-folder structure.

Can I rename or delete team folders?

Only team admins can rename or archive team folders from the team folder manager. Learn more.

Current team folder

Admins of Dropbox Business teams with fewer than 100 users and members of teams can use the team folder to automatically share files with their entire team.

To recognize a team folder, reference the folder icon:

Team folder on dropbox.com and Mac computers

Team folder on Windows computers

Looking for more ways to make collaboration easier? You may want to check out groups.

How team folders work

• When you create a team folder, it will instantly appear in every team member's Dropbox.
• All sub-folders are automatically shared with your entire team; however, if you’re working on a project with external collaborators, you can choose to share certain sub-folders with those contributors as well. If you're the owner of a shared folder, you can easily keep company information in one place by dragging existing shared folders into the team folder from your desktop or move them at dropbox.com.
• Team folders automatically include all members of your team. Create a regular shared folder if you want only some members of your team to access a folder.
• It is not possible to share a Dropbox link to a team folder.

Dropbox Business team admins have special team folder abilities:

• Make team folders view-only for all other users. All non-admins, support admins, and user management admins will have view-only access to the team folder.
• Unshare a team folder.
• Set team folder sharing permissions.

In other ways, team folders work like regular shared folders:

• If someone doesn't want a team folder taking up space on their computer's hard drive, they can use Selective Sync to tell Dropbox not to sync the folder to their computer.
• If a team member accidentally leaves or deletes a team folder, they can rejoin it. Note, however, that business admins can't leave team folders.
• To get rid of a team folder, first unshare it. A copy of the folder will remain in your account. You can then delete it if you'd like.

Can I rename team folders?

If you rename a team folder, the name will only change in your account.

Unfortunately, there isn't a way to rename a team folder for everyone. If you wish to use a different name, you'll need to unshare the current team folder, create a new team folder, and then migrate the files to the new team folder.

Dropbox Business admins: If you changed the name of a team folder on your account but it still appears as the original name in the team folder section of the Admin Console, this is likely the reason.

Can I delete a team folder?

No, you cannot delete a team folder. You can leave a team folder, but the team folder will continue to exist in the Dropbox accounts of other team members.

Only Dropbox Business team admins can unshare a team folder. If the team admin chooses to do this, the former team folder will become a private folder in the team admin's account.